The Night Belongs to Lovers
by MarluxiaSutcliff116
Summary: This is a story my best friend told me as a bedtime story, and despite what you may think, it is VERY good. She doesnt have a FF account, and im not claiming this as my own. i just wrote it down. its somewhat Borrower Arrietty, and if you read it you'll see what i mean :3 Enjoi


**The Story of The Full Moon / The Night Belongs to Lovers **

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a fisherman. The fisherman lived a solitary life, spending his days at his trade, fishing off of nearby docks in a white long-sleeved shirt rolled up at the elbow and yellow fishing overalls made of rubber.

He wore no hat, for his long silvery hair was protection enough from the sun, and it didn't seem to bother his clear grey eyes much either. The fisherman was a very loud man, and none of the other's whose trade was fishing would try their luck anywhere near him, for fear that his yelling would scare away all of the fish. Which it did. The fisherman had never caught a single fish in his life.

It was late in the day, and the fisherman was gathering up his tackle, grumbling at the lack of fish yet again and setting off towards home.

When he arrived, he dropped all of his fishing gear at the door, within easy reach to be picked up at dawn the next morning. He sighed and looked out of a nearby window into the forestry that surrounded his residence.

He shrugged and exited his house once more, making his way into the thick throng of trees that made up the forest. He was just walking amongst the trees, enjoying the birdsong and rustling of leaves that the forest provided when he heard a small noise.

He looked all around him, but all he could see was a bush laden with pink flowers. But then something on the bush caught his eye. One of the flowers was golden.

Overcome by curiosity, the fisherman picked the flower and then began to pluck the large petals, one by one. As he neared the centre of the flower, the noise got louder, and suddenly the remaining petals, eight in number, began to bloom right before his eyes.

The petals spread to reveal a tiny being, the size of a thumb, fast asleep at the flower's centre. The noise he had been hearing was the creature's tiny snores, and he stirred in his sleep.

He was thin and pale with a mop of obsidian hair, and now, he blinked open his slate-colored eyes, regarding the fisherman with a weary but aggressive expression.

There was nothing covering his small body, and the fisherman's eyebrows came together in slight vexation. He couldn't just leave him out in the forest, so the fisherman decided he would take him home and raise him as his son.

It had been ten years since the day the fisherman found the boy in the flower.

The fisherman, whose name was Squalo, was beginning to age, and was getting progressively worse at his trade every day.

The boy, whose name was Kyouya, now aged twenty-six. He was still his original size, but Squalo had decided it was time for him to move on. He had never even been able to make clothes for the boy.

He had only succeeded in making one article of clothing suitable for wearing: a kimono of varying blue hues. The fisherman fished, he didn't sew. Heck, he even sucked at fishing.

The time had come for Kyouya to face the world and etch out a living for himself. And so with this in mind, he set out the next morning with a small leaf backpack and a needle for protection, after he had said his goodbyes to the man who had taken care of him for ten years.

Kyouya set off into the forest that he had been found in all those years ago, and began walking. Where to he didn't know, but he would have to end up somewhere eventually, so he pressed on.

Soon dusk fell, and he wandered into a clearing growing thick, soft grasses all around him. He plucked and wove the grasses into a soft bed and laid down for the night, making sure his needle was within easy reach.

He looked up at the sky, dotted with stars, and blinked sleepily. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

When he woke the next morning, Kyouya knew he was not alone.

He immediately opened his eyes and found a very large pair of eyes staring intently at him. He jumped up and hefted his needle with both hands, as it was very heavy for him.

He pointed it at the person who was on his hands and knees on the ground and now stifling his laughter at the comical little sight.

"Who are you? And why were you watching me?" Kyouya growled.

The other removed his hand and smiled, "Why? Because I don't believe I have ever seen one so small as you, little friend. Would you not do the same in my position?" The smaller growled, and the other reached towards him.

"Get back!" Kyouya swung the needle, and the other shook his head.

"Oh that won't do." He plucked the needle quickly from the boy's tiny hands and tossed it far into the field. Kyouya was livid.

"What the hell was that for!? You go get that right now!"

The other laughed, his breath ruffling Kyouya's midnight black hair and causing it to frizz, much to his discontent.

"Hahaha! Ah, but if I went to find it, the only way I ever could would be by stepping on it."

The smaller glared. "I only wish you would."

The other laughed again, then reached down and picked him up and held him in his hand. "_What_ are you _doing!?_ PUT ME DOWN!"

He was brought level with the other's face. "Aww, but you're so cute."

That did it. The tiny man ran up the others arm and underneath his sleeve, but as soon as he did, the other began to laugh and squirm. "What are you doing!? Ahahaha! Stoppit! That tickles!"

The movement caused Kyouya to fall down his shirt; he screamed as his fingers were losing their hold on the line of his pants. "STOP MOVING YOU IDIOT!"

But he couldn't hold on, and he slipped, sliding along the outside of his pants and landing on the top of his shoe with a breathless "OOF!"

He immediately jumped up and ran for the grass, but the other was quick to grab a hold of the back of his kimono, and he wouldn't let go.

"STOP THAT! RELEASE ME IMMIDIATELY!"

He dug his feet persistently into the ground as the other pulled him back gently, "Just hold on a moment would you! I just want to-"

He stopped as Kyouya finally succeeded in getting away…without his kimono. Squalo had been absolutely horrible with a needle, and he had never made Kyouya any underwear, so there he stood, his back to the other, naked as the day a fisherman found him at the centre of a flower.

He began to shake with anger.

"Give. It. Back. NOW."

The other bit his lip to keep from laughing and decided to see how far he could press the other, so he held up the tiny garment, "If you want it, come get it!"

"I TOLD YOU TO GIVE IT BACK! **NOW!**" Kyouya thundered in a voice far too voluminous for his size.

The other, surprised at this reaction, relented and tossed Kyouya the kimono. He was able to retrieve and put it back on without turning around…mostly. He tightened the cloth around his body and gritted his teeth, beginning to walk away quickly.

The other picked him up again, though gentler this time. "Hold up a moment. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"If you don't put me down right this instant, when I find my needle I shall take your eye out!"

The other shook his head. "Let me make this up to you. My home isn't very far from here. You can stay the night, and I'll even find you a new needle. If you are so inclined you can leave in the morning. What do you say?"

Kyouya pondered this for a moment then sighed. "Very well. But only for tonight. My name is Kyouya."

He held out his tiny hand and grasped the forefinger that was offered, and the man smiled, honey-colored eyes shining behind a curtain of blond hair. "I'm Dino."

The way to Dino's home wasn't very long, and Kyouya was extremely thankful for that, seeing as Dino jostled him violently the whole way and he was beginning to feel nauseated.

When they entered the house, Dino placed him on the table in his kitchen, and Kyouya got a good look around.

Dishes lie here and there in somewhat disarray, as was normal clutter, but it wasn't a dirty clutter. It was…homey.

Dino came back with a spoonful of something orange and a separate teaspoon of milk, and set them down in front of Kyouya.

"I thought you might be hungry."

He smiled, and Kyouya nodded. "Thank you."

He took a handful of the orange and crusty food and sniffed it. "Its peach cobbler. Try a bite."

Kyouya used his hand to eat, and nodded in appreciation. "It is very good."

Dino smiled and got some food and milk of his own. "Eat as much as you like."

And eat Kyouya did. He had two helpings of cobbler, then downed all of his milk, tiny droplets falling as he tipped the spoon to drink.

As he set down the spoon he reached upwards in a stretch and yawned, having become very tired. He had assumed that he would be staying on the kitchen table for the duration of his visit, that he would be sleeping on it.

But he was pleasantly surprised when Dino held out his hand, "Here, come into my hand."

Kyouya nodded and did so, but what he had not expected was for Dino to carry him outside. The blond closed the door behind him and then set Kyouya upon his shoulder, where the smaller sat down and held to the collar of his shirt for balance.

Dino looked up at the night sky and smiled. "Wow, would you look at that Kyouya. Just look at that moon."

Kyouya tilted his small head skyward, and he too smiled. "It's beautiful."

Dino nodded. "Crescent moons are always nice to look at."

Kyouya raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Crescent?"

Dino gestured towards said moon. "We call that a crescent moon. You know, when the moon is a crescent it looks like its smiling. Its small, but its still smiling. Like the beginning of a friendship."

Kyouya tilted his head once more. "What is it called when the moon is halved?"

Dino smiled. "A half moon. That's when the moon is grinning, and the friendship grows."

"And what about when the moon is full?" Kyouya questioned.

"A full moon. You're quite good at this Kyouya. That is when the friendship is at its best, and both parties are…complete."

Kyouya looked up at Dino, then up at the moon, and he smiled.

Kyouya was more tired than even he expected, and when he woke up the next day, by the time he had had his meal of peach cobbler and milk it was already too late for him to leave, so he and Dino went outside to look at the moon and he stayed another day.

This process repeated itself numerous times. They would wake, have dinner, and then go outside to gaze at the moon.

The moon itself began to change, and as it grew to a half moon Dino and Kyouya's smiles grew larger, and by the time the moon became full, their friendship was solid.

Things continued the way they had been, with Dino making something new for Kyouya to try almost every other night, all with some kind of Italian flair to them.

After dinner they would go outside, whether or not weather permitted, and watched the sky, even if clouds obscured it. Then they would just watch the deep purple and blue clouds.

During the days Dino made Kyouya many tiny outfits, underwear included, and taught Kyouya how to sew so that he would never be in need of clothes and be unable to make them.

Two years passed this way, with each just enjoying the others company. It was one evening when Dino passed Kyouya his dinner, peach cobbler and milk, in a spoon that the latter noticed that Dino seemed to be sad.

Kyouya waited until they had finished their dinner and were outside, looking at the full moon, before he asked Dino.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong? You look sad." Kyouya said from his perch atop the blond's shoulder.

Dino tore his gaze from the moon to look down at Kyouya. His eyes were damp, and to Kyouya he seemed as if he were incredibly saddened by a happy event, for his lips were curved upwards in a small smile.

"I was just thinking…"

"Oh no." Kyouya said with a playful smile.

Dino, however, continued his thought without pause. "Maybe…you should be leaving soon…"

Kyouya's eyebrows came together. "What?"

Dino sniffed and blinked furiously. "It's just…I feel that, here, you aren't seeing all that the world can really be, and I thought that maybe you should. See more of it I mean. From what you've told me, you were stuck in the same place for ten whole years, then you came here…and I was so happy to have you around that it didn't even cross my mind that you may not want to be here…"

"Dino," Kyouya stood and tucked himself between his friend's collar and the crook of his neck securely. "I've always enjoyed being here with you. And I never really even considered leaving you. But if you think I should…maybe I should…but I won't go if you don't want me to."

Dino glanced down to his right at his little friend, turning his face so Kyouya wouldn't be able to see the tear running down his left cheek. "I'll miss you, but I think you should go. See the world a bit. I've seen my share of it, so I'll be staying here, and I'll be here if you ever come back. Don't forget that."

Kyouya nodded, and Dino took him into the house. When he woke up the next morning, he took his backpack from where he had placed it the night before and set out on his journey.

And also in tow was his needle, of which Dino had placed next to him that very first night, he had just never noticed.

Two more years passed for Dino. He was lonely without Kyouya there with him, and he thought of the tiny man every day.

And every night, after he'd had dinner, he would go outside to look at the moon. Each night he wondered where his friend was and how he was faring, and every night he prayed for his friend's safe return.

Dino had his good days and his bad days, and it was one of the bad days when he was feeling overly nostalgic that he decided to make peach cobbler for dinner.

He was sitting at his table, plate of cobbler and glass of milk untouched, when there was a knock at his door. Dino jumped slightly in shock. No one ever came around his residence in the woods. Ever.

Hope surged through his body like wildfire, and he rose quickly and almost threw open the door. There stood a person in a cloak, the hood over their eyes, holding out their hand.

Dino felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. _'It was just a beggar? What's he doing wandering the woods at night?'_

Dino opened the door to allow the beggar inside. "Please come in. You must be hungry, I'll get you something to eat."

The beggar sat upon the ground in the main room across from the kitchen, and said in a deep, clear voice. "Thank you."

Dino nodded and made up a plate for the beggar, taking it to him along with a glass of milk.

He held them out to the beggar, but he made no move to take them, instead opting to say, "If it isn't too much to ask, I will take the cobbler and milk in a teaspoon."

Dino's eyes widened to saucers and he almost dropped the food he was holding when the beggar stood and revealed his face. "K…Kyouya…"

The man smiled at Dino, and the blond immediately set down the food and embraced his friend, laughing and grinning all the while. "Kyouya! It _is_ you! Come in, come in! Come and eat!"

Dino took Kyouya into the kitchen and they took dinner together. After dinner, they went outside and stood underneath the light of the full moon.

"Look at you Kyouya! My, how you've grown!"

Kyouya smiled, "It happened every time I looked upon the full moon." Dino's eyes widened and Kyouya went on. "I was always most lonesome when the full moon came around, so I always made sure I could see it. Eventually I noticed that every morning after I had seen the full moon, I had grown close to an inch, and the next night the moon seemed smaller because I was getting closer to it! Because of this growth, your sewing lessons proved to be quite useful as well. If this keeps up, I shall soon reach the heavens I think, and then you will be the small one."

He smiled pointedly at Dino, but then his smile slowly turned to a frown. "That is…actually why I came back." Dino tilted his head. "I was planning to come back soon, but I decided to come early. I was afraid that if I kept growing, soon the moon would be so small I would forget it altogether, and in turn, forget you." Kyouya's eyes were downcast. "I didn't want to forget you, not ever. So I came back, because the thought of being without you was just…_unbearable._"

Dino's eyes watered slightly, and he wrapped his arms around Kyouya without a second thought, holding his body close to him tightly. "Oh Kyouya, how I've missed you so! I'm glad you have voiced your worries, for I thought I was the only one of us who didn't want to be without the other. And not to worry, because you can grow as tall as Jack's beanstalk, but I shall still love you with all my heart."

Dino hugged Kyouya tighter to him, and then closed his eyes when he felt Kyouya return the embrace.

Kyouya pulled away slightly, so their faces were close but their bodies were still in contact.

"And I shall love you too Dino. Unconditionally, for the rest of my days."

They both smiled and angled their heads at the same time, their lips touching in a soft, sincere promise.

And there, beneath the light of the full moon, both were…complete.


End file.
